Tuesday, 31. August 2010
07:00 Sport1, Golf Journal
07:20 Sport1, Audi Golf News
07:30 Sport1, Golf Journal

I bumped into Chambers Bay via one of the golf groups on flickr!, where user mistymisschristie frequently posts gorgeous pictures of the course.

This week, Chambers Bay hosts the US Amateur championship and the course proves to be a true test for the golfers.

Devill Ball Golf broke down the numbers (read the full story here):

Here some facts from the two days of stroke play that completed at Chambers Bay and the Home Course on Tuesday.

– The stroke average at Chambers was 79.25 during the two days.

– There were more rounds in the 90s (six) over the two days at Chambers than there were under par (five).

– Only four players broke 70 at Chambers, and only one, Patrick Reed, was able to post three-under.

Tough stuff! Let’s see how the scores will be at the 2015 US Open. Brings up the old question waht winning score you’d rather have at a pro tournament, -25 or +3?

Last night we played some 9 holes at the Berliner GC Gatow with the sun setting an moon rising whilst we played the ninth hole. There could have been some golf pr0n pictures, had I brought my “real” camera. But I had to settle with my iPhone to give you just a crappy version of the real thing.

Tuesday, 24. August 2010
07:00 Sport1, Golf Journal
07:20 Sport1, Audi Golf News
07:30 Sport1, Golf Journal

Wednesday, 25. August 2010
21:00 Eurosport, US PGA Tour 2010 – Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, NC
22:00 Eurosport, European Tour 2010 – Czech Open in Celadna
22:30 Eurosport, Evian Ladies European Tour – Scottish Open in East Lothian
22:40 Eurosport, Golf Club

Thursday, 26. August 2010
23:00 Sport1, Golf Journal
23:20 Sport1, Audi Golf News
23:30 Sport1, Golf Journal

We all agree that Martin Kaymer plays excellent golf. But as good as his game on the course is, as bad is his “official” presence on the web. No official website, no possibilty to find out where he plays next or what the news around him and his game are.

Four years ago, before MK signed a deal with Sportyard, his father also acted as his manager. Back then we tried to establish a contact, offering him that we – the guys behind http://leadinggolfblogs.de/ – set up and run a first website for MK, giving his growing number of fans a first contact point. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out. We had some nice ideas back then that still would work out today. But at least we gave it a try.

To see that things can work out different, you don’t have to look very far. Of course, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter have very nifty websites and especially IJP is a twitter star. Both make good use of social media components.

But the example I want to show you is a very talented young german golfer, who until recent played on the Challenge Tour before surprinsingly announcing the end of his pro career: Florian Fritsch. Contentwise, his website offers all necessary things, some personal notes in his blog, pictures and videos, a tournament schedule, there’s room for sponsors etc. etc. Ok, there’s some design flaws, but the average fan won’t notice that. All this for a player that used to play on the 3rd class challenge tour and on the other hand we have the Major Champion Martin Kaymer with no official internet presence whatsoever? It’s 2010, right? Ok, there are various inofficial Facebook pages (here, here, here and here), but nothing that officialy represents Martin.

With his first major win, he enters a new stage of worldwide attention. About time to rethink his official presence on the internet – apart from his outdated “set card” at Sportyard. Thousands of fans worldwide would be very thankful.

By the way, our offer still stands. Flights to Stockholm are cheap at the moment, as I just found out.

Ok, one more Martin Kaymer post this week:

Link: www.youtube.com

Monday, 16.August 2010
23:00 Sport1, Golf Journal Highlights PGA Championships, day four

Wednesday, 18. August 2010
23:00 Eurosport, Ladies European Tour – Wales Championship of Europe in Conwy
23:10 Eurosport, Golf Club

Thursday, 19. August 2010
23:00 Sport1, Golf Journal
23:20 Sport1, Audi Golf News
23:30 Sport1, Golf Journal

KELLY ELBIN: Ladies and gentlemen, entering the room is the 2010 PGA champion, Martin Kaymer. Today Martin earned his first major championship at age 25 and he is the first German to win the PGA Championship and the second European Tour in three years to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy. What does it mean to you to be the PGA Champion?
MARTIN KAYMER: Obviously I had a few questions like this today already and obviously I can’t really answer that question. I don’t really realize what was just happening today. Obviously it was a very exciting week, and to win my.. I hope it’s one of many majors that I will win in my career, it’s spectacular.

KELLY ELBIN: Can you talk a little about the playoff. You and Bubba came to the third playoff hole tied, what your thinking was on the shot you hit after Bubba had hit his second in the water.
MARTIN KAYMER: Well, obviously when he was pulling a long iron out of his bag, I thought that he would have a shot and that he can place it on the green, so I thought about going for it, as well. But when he hit it in the water hazard, I thought, you know, he will make the the best he can make is five. So I thought if I laid up and give myself a chance for a par, I give myself a chance to win the PGA Championship, and what was what I wanted to do.

Q. Did you keep an eye on the leaderboard at all, especially on the back nine? And second question, did you hear the camera click on your birdie putt on 17 in the playoff some?
MARTIN KAYMER: I had a look on the leaderboard the first nine holes, and then I was trying to avoid to look at the leaderboard. I said to my caddie on the sixth hole, I said, “It doesn’t really matter what happened today, but it’s the first time in my career that I’m leading a major championship.”
I told him, “It’s a pretty cool feeling.” So on the back nine, what I said already, I was trying to avoid the leaderboard. I just wanted to play my own game, I just wanted to make good golf shots and just play golf, you know, just try to enjoy the atmosphere out there. And on 17, I didn’t hear anything, to be honest with you. I just heard the camera on 18 when I was trying to make my third shot.

Read the rest of this entry »

Social Media Monitoring is one of the things I’m dealing with on my (main) job. But sometimes you can put it to good use when it comes to the personal interests.

So I had a look at the buzz in the social web following Martin Kaymers victory yesterday. “Martin Kaymer” received 4.158 mentions this month, 3.067+ in the last 24 hours alone

Here’s the general stats.

The share of voice is dominated by Twitter. This is no surprise as most (social) media sources post to twitter when having written something new or discussion takes places on twitter itself:

The geo heat map shows a vast interest in Germany, the UK and Canada,. The USA are only in fourth place although the most heard question in the US on Twitter probably was “Who the hell is Martin Kaymer?”

And apparently Martins victory sparked a huge interest in his girlfriend Alison Micheletti, as her name is the most searched related topic.

Waking up the next morning after such a thrilling finish in the 2010 PGA Championship, I am still wondering if all this really happened. Can’t think of how Martin Kaymer himself must feel after his stunning victory.

I think the Devil Ball golf blog sums it up pretty nicely:

Martin Kaymer — seen here just before plunging into one of Whistling Straits’ many invisible bunkers — currently stands fifth in the Official World Golf Rankings, and the way he played on Sunday, it’s not inconceivable that he’ll pass Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Steve Stricker before long. Kaymer demonstrated both power and grace, strategy and touch, en route to posting an 11-under round and holding off Bubba Watson for the Wanamaker Trophy. It wasn’t easy, but Kaymer made it look that way.

As for the stats, read this article on the European Tour website. And the Race to Dubai has a new leader.

From my side (and if you check twitter from many more sides) congratulations and all the best to Martin Kaymer. Can’t wait for the Ryder Cup now!